# The Prophetic Medicine

> A source-faithful reading edition of The Prophetic Medicine by Ibn Qay’em El-Jozeyah, translated by ABD EL-QADER the son of ABD EL-AZEEZ (2003 source edition).

This is an unproofread OCR transcription, not a verified edition. Arabic quotations, diacritics, religious symbols, numbers, and some English words may contain recognition errors. Verify exact quotations against the original PDF. Do not silently correct, paraphrase, or present uncertain text as verified.

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[Section index](/llms.txt)

## When is cupping preferred

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Wien is cupping preferred

Anas related from the Prophet b that he said:

"The Messenger of Allah b used to have cupping on the jugular veins and the upper part ot the back on the seventeenth. nincteenth or twenty-first (day of the month)." (At-Termezey)

Anas related from the Prophet b that he said:

"Those who intend to have cupping let them do that on the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first (of the month), to prevent the septic blood from causing death to one of you." {Ibn Majah)

In addition, Abu Dawood narrated that Abu Hurayrah related trom the Prophet b that he said:

"Those who have cupping on the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first will be cured from every disease."

"Every disease" mentioned in the Hadith means the blood-related"” diseases. [Both of the last two Ahadeeth are weak].

These Ahadeeth conform to the position taken by doctors that cupping is preferred in the latter half of the month and the th'=d quarter, rather than the beginning or

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the end of the month. However, if cupping is necessary, it will be useful during any part of the month including the beginning and the end. It was reported that Imam Ahmad [bn Hanbal used to practice cupping during any part ot the month when the spoiled blood became agitated,

The author of AI-Qanun said, "Cupping is preferred during the day, the second or the third hour and after one takes a bath. When warranted, one should take a bath then rest for an hour or so and then use cupping.” Cupping is not preferred when the stomach is full, for it might cause various ailments, especially after taking a heavy meal.

It was said that cupping on an empty stomach is a cure, and when one's stomach is full 1s a disease, and when it is done on the seventeenth [of the month] it becomes a remedy. Choosing the best time for cupping preserves good health and helps prevent harm from occurring to the body. However, when the illness intensifies, cupping becomes warranted and needed whatever the circumstances, for the Prophet b said:

"So that the septic blood does not cause death to one of you."

We stated before that Imam Ahmad used to use cupping during any time of the month if cupping was medically warranted.

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As for the best days of the week to have cupping, Al-Khallal said that Imam Ahmad was asked about the days when cupping is not preferred, and he said, "Wednesday and Saturday." In addition AI-Khallal narrated that Imam Ahmad was once asked about the days when cupping is disliked and Imam Ahmad answered, "Saturday and Wednesday, and In addition Friday as was reported." [However, all the Ahadeeth that state the time when the cupping is either preferred or disliked are weak, according to the scholars of Hadith].

The previous Ahadeeth we mentioned state that seeking the cure, including cupping, is preferred. In addition, cupping is done in the part of the body that most needs it. In addition, those who have assumed ihram are allowed to use cupping, even if it involves cutting some hair and they do not have to pay a penalty. Further, it is allowed for those who are fasting to use cupping as Al- Bokhary narrated that the Messenger of Allah b used cupping while he was fasting.

There are several Ahadeeth that state that cupping breaks the Fast. The only Hadith that appears to contradict this ruling is the Hadith that the Prophet ~ had cupping while fasting. In this case, for the Hadith to mean that cupping does not break the Fast, it should satisfy one of the following four conditions.

First, Fasting should have been obligated by the

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time the incident in the Hadith [narrated by Al-Kukhah above] occurred. Second, it should be proven that the Prophet b was not traveling [when he had cupping}. Third, that the Prophet b was not suffering from an illness that warranted c:pping. Fourth, that this Hadith came after the Prophet g§ said, "Those having cupping and those who do it have both broken their Fast." If these four conditions are satisfied, only then can we say that cupping does not break the fast relying on the Hadith [that the Prophet b had cupping when he was fasting]. Otherwise, the Fast mentioned in the Hadith might have been a voluntary fast that one is allowed to break when cupping is warranted. Or it could have occurred during Ramadan but while the Prophet a& was traveling. Or. the Hadith could be talking about a compulsory Fast during Ramadan but that it was necessary to have cupping due to an illness. Or, cupping could have been done during Ramadan and without a necessity that warrants it, but before the Prophet b issued his statement that cupping breaks the Fast of those involved in it. There is no proof that any of the four conditions we mentioned above were satistied, so how about all four of them? [That is why Ibn Al-Qayyim asserts that cupping breaks the Fast of those who are doing it and those who are having it done].

In addition, the Hadith proves that one is allowed to hire a doctor for a certain purpose and then pay him for his services without a service contract.

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The Hadith [that the Prophet b paid the person who performed cupping for him] In addition indicates that some people are allowed to make cupping their profession. The Prophet b gave the man who performed cupping some money and that person spent that money on his necessities. Furthermore, cupping is similar to garlic and onion in that they are described as being impure. But we are still allowed to use them.

Finally, the Hadith proves that one is allowed to collect reasonable taxes from his slave and that the slave is allowed to use whatever is left after paying the tax. Otherwise, if the master 1s going to take all the money anyway, it will not be called a tax any more! Therefore, whatever is left with the slave beyond the required tax is his property and he can do whatever he wishes with it.